This invention relates to an apparatus for cleaning an informational tape carried in a tape cassette and more particularly relates to an apparatus for presenting a fresh cleaning media to the informational tape in response to each placement of the cassette in a recorder.
Various media have been suggested and used for recording digital information. A particular medium finding increased usage is a tape cassette. Digital cassettes are similar in construction to audio cassettes which have enjoyed increasing commercial acceptance over the past ten years. The construction and operational features of such digital cassettes are akin to the audio types with the additional consideration that much higher mechanical and electrical standards are maintained. The information density upon a digital tape is relatively high as is the speed at which the tape is drawn across the record-playback (R/P) head thus necessitating the maintenance of close physical tolerances between the tape and the R/P head at the record-playback station of the cassette. A particular problem which occurs with the use of most tape cassettes and particularly digital tape cassettes, wherein the informational density is particularly high and wherein the tape speed is relatively fast, is the accumulation of dust and dirt upon the tape. Such tape contamination increases tape wear and frequently generates noise resulting in erroneous playback and record signals.
To reduce such tape contamination, various devices have been suggested for cleaning the tape. U.S. Pat. No. 3,701,178 entitled "Cassette Tape Cleaner" issued to J. C. Kuntz on Oct. 31, 1972, utilizes blades mounted in the recorder to scrape the tape and an air stream removes the scrappings from the blades. This procedure introduces considerable tape wear as the blades are drawn across the tape. Further, the mechanism used to generate the necessary air stream significantly increases the cost of the recorder. Still another approach suggests the use of a fiberous cleaning material or pad which is brought into contact with the tape wiping the surface thereof. It will be appreciated that over prolonged periods of use, the surface of the pad will become impregnated with bits and particles of dirt and other abrasive substances. In this condition, the pad acts as an abrasive which cuts and scores the tape as it is drawn thereacross. Thus, when the cleaning pad becomes excessively ladened with particles, the cleaning material must be replaced. Maintenance of the pad places a viligant burden upon the operator since the pad must be continuously checked and the cleaning material replaced before it becomes contaminated to the point where tape damage results. Such continuous attention by the operator is difficult to attain in practice and frequently the cleaning material becomes contaminated and remains so for prolonged periods of time.
The illustrated embodiment provides a unique and improved means for cleaning a cassette tape which greatly reduces the possibility of wear to the tape by abrasive materials trapped in the cleaning media.